When the physicists need burner phones, that's when you know America's changed

> A lot of companies have policies for US travels for a few years now.

I traveled a lot around 2010, long before Trump. Phone searches at the border were common even then. I had to give my passcode to Canada and European countries.

I can attest that this kind of frightening incident did not start with Trump. As a traveler, I heard horror stories back then, but not many people talked about them. I feel like most of the sudden interest in these stories has an obvious motive.

I wonder whether those companies also have a policy not to use Outlook/Microsoft365 for emails

Um.

I don’t know that I would do that if I was a scientist right now.

That is not really relevant, because you sort of have to say what's true whatever happens to you, as required at the intersection of the duties of a scientist, of a citizen of a republic, and even on the basis of the basic tenants of the country's majority religion. In some sense to live a steady life you have to be resigned to potential misfortunes, even if you do not want them to happen to you.

    First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
    Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.
    Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
    Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

    —Martin Niemöller

  However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light.
  - Stanley Kubrick

They found confidential information on his phone as he was attempting to enter the US, and their response was to turn him back instead of detaining him for violating those agreements or espionage?

Does that sound plausible to you? Or even a better argument? If I was fully onboard with America is the only country that matters I would be apoplectic to find out they let a known spy just leave

Hmm it's hard to say which side is true. And if he had stolen info and breached an NDA, why deny him entry? It would have been better to capture him and sue him for this.

Also I find it very hard to believe that random border guards would find such thing during a spot check.

I don’t believe we are reprimanding those who mishandle sensitive information any longer. Anyway, they were just joking when he concealed it. That’s just their ‘weaving’ skills on full display.

Thanks for the link, without this comment I would have totally missed it. Doesn’t change my overall view of what is currently happening but it’s a useful nuance.

Don't gaslight "it's complicated", that's like right out of 1930s Germany where people insisted everything is fine and there was some kind of just cause

We've been though only 60 days now and institution after institution is being completely dismantled.

Health, Education, Science, Weather Service, soon USPS, aid to the world with medication to stop HIV etc and food for children, all gone.

They paid a torture prison to take people out of US jurisdiction so judges couldn't order hearings, there are people who were legit seeking asylum and have obviously never been in a gang or criminals who might never see the light of day again

Russel Vought, Stephen Miller, Steve Bannon are full blown fascists following the Project2025 plan page by page.

Imagine this country in 200 more weeks.

Imagine what's going to go down once Congress and the Supreme Court are out for the summer and can't react quickly enough to all the illegal activities.

It's going to take DECADES to recover from this damage.

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> I’m betting it will be so unpopular as to be impossible

People have said the same thing about gutting Social Security, but it seems like that's on the chopping block right now unfortunately.

I think we're seeing right now that at least a decent fraction (even if it's not half) would be for it as long as it targets the right people. I think it's a mistake to think people in general are very tied to specific civil liberties for other people.

> I hope that picture of reality stays in Black Mirror.

Hasn't the Secretary of State said that several hundred people have already been targeted this way? This picture of reality is already real life for many people, their colleagues and their families.

Your comment assumes the sanctity of elections...

How much can I win betting the 2026 or 2028 elections will look more Russia-like (or Turkey-like) vs. an election that could be called "free and fair"?

Everything can be made popular through the right wing propaganda pipeline, given enough times. Republicans are now happy to see medicaid and medicare taken away, tariffs imposed on everything they buy...

Not just that: you have to take the red corridor and allow inspection of the specimens, and have a paper to let you bring them in. I remenber handing an apple to the border check officer on return from Europe, because the apple contained seeds, and uncontrolled plant seeds are a no-no.

I happened to read ACOUP on this subject yesterday. It discusses how fascism evolved in the past, and if trump is a fascist. It was written before Trump came to power. For me, this was a sobering read.

https://acoup.blog/2024/10/25/new-acquisitions-1933-and-the-...

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I think I know roughly where you're coming from -- I mean we absolutely have our share of bigots in or seeking power -- I don't think you realize how very bad it has gotten in the USA very recently.

I have friends who fit in the categories you are describing, who have definitely put up with some shit occasionally here in Canada that would not dream of even visiting the USA, and know people in the USA who are actively looking to escape northward, in fear for their literal lives.

With a looming election that has a cartoonishly, Trumpian, "populist evil" candidate for the leadership of our country, yeah it could definitely get worse, and even to the same amount quite easily. But at least for now, there's a very real -- though definitely not perfect -- refuge for LGBTQ2A+ of all stripes up here.

Have they "imported it" or are there outside actors trying to destabilise society by pushing divisive ideas?

There’s a major difference. Those people are out of power in Canada.

I really like the comparison between talking about politics at work and talking about salaries at work. They are both things that were just 'not allowed' for vague reasons and they both turned out to be really important things to bring up at work.

"Science has been completely destroyed"

Really? Completely?

Do you recall what source that was? Was this a recent incident (this year) or was this an older incident, I recall an older case where things got a bit spicy.

https://owl.excelsior.edu/argument-and-critical-thinking/log...

"A slippery slope fallacy occurs when someone claims that a position or decision will lead to a series of unintended negative consequences. These negative consequences are often bad and/or increasingly outlandish. The person using the slippery slope fallacy takes these consequences as a certainty and does not analyze the logic of their own position. A slippery slope fallacy can be used as a deflection to avoid discussing the merits of a position, shifting the field of debate."

> ... but it's still probably an understatement if you look at what has been happening.

That's exactly what I would question. Does the author look just as hard in the other direction and, with intellectual honesty, defend those cases? (should he? why? why not?...) My general sense is the "other side" may have experienced similar treatment that is now being complained about. No, I don't mean it is therefore necessarily justified. I really mean that—I do not think it is therefore necessarily justified.

If I side with any of them, either side may decide I'm no longer in the in-group. Rather than either side being right, both have the same potential for corruption, and that's the real enemy.

This is not a specific answer to the effort you offered in explaining the situation. I would have to look deeper into it.